Mammoth Cave National Park, KY - Domes & Dripstones Tour (7-10-14)
Read MoreFamily photo op at one of our favorite National Parks...
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The tour began with a 10-minute bus ride to the "New Entrance" of Mammoth Caves which was created in 1921 when a local entrepreneur, seeking to lead his own cave tours, blasted an entrance into the bottom of a sinkhole...
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The first portion of the tour found us descending a long flight of twisting stars between rather narrow walls...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Erie lighting allows the visitor frequent glimpses of the surrounding cave walls...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Continuing down...by the time the path flattens out we will have descended 250 feet beneath the surface...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Unique patterns have been etched into the walls by many thousands of years of water erosion...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Nearing the bottom, we descended into this giant pothole...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Crossing a giant chasm, the immensity of the cave began to present itself to us...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Weaker layers of limestone collapsed after the waters receded leaving only the strongest layers to support the roof of the tunnel. As erosion no longer takes place in these parts of the caves we were told there was no longer any concern of collapse...
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The first lengthy stop on the tour took place at a set of benches 250-feet beneath the surface in a spot known as "Grand Central Station". Here the guide explained more about the history of the cave and how it was first opened to visitors...
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A closer look at the unnaturally flat ceiling of the cave...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
From Grand Central Station the trail began to ascend again and the rock walls pressed in close...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Huge boulders like this choked many potential tour routes in the early days of cave tours so guides would hire men to blast openings to allow better access...
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Here again you can clearly see the numerous layers of limestone and the great blocks they eventually broke off into...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
The second stop the guide announced we would soon be entering the portion of the cave with the most dramatic formations. Pointing upward she drew our attention to the first, tiny, stalactites hanging from the ceiling...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
More fissures in the limestone walls...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
If you notice, the ceiling in this shot has a distinct green hue. This is due to algae growth. Algae is not native to the caves but rather has been carried here on the clothes of tourists at which point the light shining on the walls allows it to grow. The park service is currently taking steps to limit its growth, including installing different types of light bulbs...
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As we neared the drapery room the walls of the tunnel surrounding us showed more and more evidence of the water which used to flow through them...
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Arriving at the "Drapery Room", the location of the most dramatic formations yet found in Mammoth Cave...
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Descending onto the Drapery Room, formations of every shape and size covered the cave from floor to ceiling...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Stovepipe-type formations in the Drapery Room...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
Even the ceiling far above us was a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
The Drapery Room, in all its wonder...
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The guide drew our attention to a number of formations along the path which had a very wet, waxy look to them and were told this was the type of damage that touching them could cause...
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Finally, the star of the Drapery Room...the massive formation known as 'Frozen Niagara" is a conglomeration of stalactites measuring 75 feet high and 50 feet wide!!!...
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Looking down on the Frozen Niagara formation as we begin our climb out of the Drapery Room...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
The short remainder of the tour past the Drapery Room offered a glimpse at numerous smaller and quite delicate looking formations like this...
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A rather rough-looking cluster of stalactites near the end of the tour...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
The amazing scenery didn't let up until the end...
National ParkWorld Heritage SiteInternational Biosphere PreservecavingstalactitestalagmitepopcornBowling GreenHorse CaveFrozen NiagaraGreen River
The final formation that was pointed out to us was one I was familiar with from previous cave visits...Popcorn!
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Popcorn coated the ceiling overhead as we completed our 2-hour tour. We're never quite ready to leave this park no matter how many times we visit...maybe one of these visits I'll be able to talk the family into a Wild Cave Tour!!!
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